Playing With Fire
by FMAfreakx
Summary: Ed heads West to learn more about Western Alchemy while Al goes East. However, Ed has a secret agenda. What will a chance meeting with Mustang bring about? Takes place post-brotherhood, two years after the promised day. Pairing: Royed


_*Note: This is my first ever fan fiction. Please read and review. Constructive criticism is much appreciated. Post-Brotherhood/Manga. Ed is 18 years old. Mustang is...late twenties or early thirties. I haven't figured that out yet. Enjoy! :)_

* * *

_Damn those military bastards,_ Edward swore under his breath as he uncovered yet another ominous research document that had been mysteriously buried under a pile of birth certificates. He had been sifting through Central library's restricted section in the hope of finding out more about Western alchemy. Instead, Edward had, within the span of 2 hours, discovered a mountain's worth of files containing records of Amestris' nasty past. _Of course they would be found in the restricted section_, Ed sighed. The Ishvalan annihilation campaign was certainly something most people wanted to forget. Especially state alchemists. Although he had not been part of the campaign, joining the military as a state alchemist after the ghastly deeds in Ishval was committing a taboo. It wasn't enough to make Ed cringe, though. He had had more important things on his mind back then. Like getting Al's body back.

Ed raised his hands together in front of his chest. It wasn't really a conscious effort. A part of him knew that nothing would happen when he clapped; no flash of blue light, no surge of power. He would never experience that again. Yet, the 18 year old still held his breath in the hope of…. something, anything to happen. The soft thud of his hands contacting broke the silence in the library. Nothing. Ed shouldn't have been disappointed, really. Sacrificing his gate of truth in exchange for his brother's body back was more than he could've wished for. Ed blamed himself for the mess he had gotten his brother and himself into. He should be grateful that they had gotten their bodies back at all.

It had been two years since the promised day and Ed still found himself thinking 'what if'. What if there had been another way to get Al back from the other side? _No, there was no other way. If there were, we would have already found it. _What if Western alchemy could tell him how to get his gate back? _But why? Why should I search for such methods? Al and I already know that alchemy was what brought about our misfortune in the first place. Wasn't it the lure of the success of alchemy and caused us to commit the forbidden transmutation? And look where that brought us. No. I should be thankful Al is alive and well. _

But there was still that niggling voice in the back of Ed's mind. The voice had started off as a whisper. A hopeless hope. Soon, it gained substance and morphed into a thought. In the two years the brothers had stayed in Resembool recuperating and planning their travels, Ed couldn't watch his brother perform alchemy without that voice in his head acting up. The voice nagged at him, day in, day out. It spoke of the endless possibilities and glorified the rewards. Until Ed couldn't take it anymore and decided that he would start his secret plans. His trip to the West would be for research about the possibility of alchemy beyond the law of equivalent exchange. At least, that was what his Alphonse thought he was doing. What Al didn't know was that Ed had a secret agenda; to find a way to get his gate back.

Losing his alchemy, to Ed, was similar to losing an arm and a leg. It was alchemy that had gotten him out of tricky situations in the past. It was alchemy that had labeled him as the Fullmetal Alchemist and the military's weapon, once. Being stripped from that title, that prestige, that power, was something Ed wasn't used to. Ed told himself that research challenging the law of equivalent exchange would be his priority in the West. If he managed to find a way to get his alchemy back, that would just be a bonus.

So there he was, in Central library, looking for clues of alchemy in the West and also any information that could help his secret agenda.

Ed thought of what Al might be doing at this point. He was probably halfway through the desert on the way to Xing. Al was oblivious. Ed planned on taking a quick look through the Central library and then head West. If he was lucky, he might get some light reading material for his train trip.

Ed stood up from his table and stretched, yawning wide. Around him were stacks of classified research files and textbooks. 70% were completely irrelevant while the other 30% were about the Ishval annihilation campaign. Neither had proved helpful. It was time to select more books. Ed wandered along the shelves, stopping occasionally to pick up promising looking files. Just as he was about to return to his table, he spotted a small red leather bound book about half the size of the files around it. It stood out like a sore thumb. Curious, he picked it off the shelf and opened it at a random page.

He had half expected another list of names of the people who had died in the process of making the philosophers stones. However, the page only had one word on it. It didn't make any sense. Ed turned the page, and yet another hand-written word stood out against the white background. _Only one word?_ Ed thought to himself. _Interesting. _Flipping through the entire book, each page revealed the same: a single word. Ed also found that every 10 pages in the book showcased a neatly drawn array along with the single word. There were 5 arrays in total and he had never seen any of them before. He could make out the symbols for fire in each array but to Ed, it seemed like impossible transmutations. _The elements would never work in that pattern_, Ed mused, studying the first drawing. The words were obviously code that explained the arrays in better detail. Whoever wrote the book knew what they were doing. There was nobody around. Ed shrugged and slipped the book into one of his coat pockets.

"Edward?" An all too familiar voice rang out.

Ed jumped; sure he had been caught pocketing the book. Whipping around, he came face to face with a tall, handso- _Wait. Was I about to say 'handsome'? _For he was looking at none other than the Flame Alchemist Roy Mustang, recently appointed General and in charge of the Eastern area of Amestris.

_No. More like manipulative and shallow bastard._

"Edward! How have you been? I heard that you were travelling in the West."

Ed was taken aback. He had expected a remark about his height, or a question as to why he was in the restricted section of the library and not already on the train headed West.

"Um… General Mustang. I'm on my way to the train station now," Ed hated being so formal towards that Colonel, no, General bastard.

To his utmost surprise, Mustang chuckled saying, "Ed, there's no need to be so formal. Our relationship is no longer between subordinate and commanding officer. You may address me by my name."

_Well he's in a good mood. Maybe he didn't see me get that book._

Warily, Ed ventured, "Alright...Roy."

That single syllable rolled beautifully on his tongue. _Too beautiful_. Ed turned a shade of pink.

Roy didn't seem to notice Ed's discomposure as he went on, "How time flies. You've really grown. You've become a man."

Ed blinked in surprise. This wasn't the greeting he had expected. Not at all. Roy seemed too cheerful. Too optimistic. He was no longer the shallow and self-absorbed man Ed remembered. He had changed too. Ed wondered why. As if on cue, another familiar voice rang out in the library. It was female.

"Ah. There you are. General, I have to ask you again to please refrain from wandering off. Thanks to your antics, the meeting has been post-phoned and the other Generals are not impressed." The Hawk's eye stepped into view from behind a bookcase. The blond woman looked sternly at Roy for a few seconds before turning to face Edward.

"Ah! Edward! How good to see you again! How have you been?"

It came to no surprise to Ed that Mustang had been shirking from his duties again. Ed noticed the Lieutenant had changed too. She didn't have that cold and distant attitude she reserved for reprimanding the bastard. In fact, she looked relieved to have found him.

Before he could answer, Mustang interrupted saying, "Riza, Edward has a train to catch. Let's not hold him up."

"And you have a train you have to be on in 20 minutes. You're going back to Eastern headquarters. Let's go." Hawkeye said with a no-nonsense attitude. She turned and marched off briskly, calling Mustang to follow her.

Roy shrugged at Ed and motioned for him to walk with him. Ed had no choice but to follow. At least he had that red book to bring away with him. Ed was still in a daze. He didn't know what shocked him more. That Mustang had called Hawkeye by her first name, while on duty and in military uniform, or that Hawkeye was being really familiar with the General.

As if to answer Ed's thoughts, Roy said to no one in particular, "She's a real woman, isn't she? She doesn't take any of my bullshit." Roy gazed at the back of the Lieutenant about 10 paces in front of them.

_What is that expression on his face? Admiration? Love? That bastard._

_Leave it to Mustang to be hitting on his subordinate. Womanizing moron._

Ed decided to change the subject. He didn't like this new Mustang. He preferred the calculating bastard he used to know to this grinning idiot.

"So what are you doing here, Mustang? How are the Ishvalans?" Ed asked.

From there, Mustang launched into a detailed report of what he had been doing in the East for the past two years as they walked out of the library. About the reconciliation program and Sensei's involvement with the Ishvalan children. He began to sound more like the old Mustang, as he discussed the political climate in the North and the South. Ed looked sideways at the General. His expression was blank; he looked almost bored. But Ed knew better. He knew that behind that mask was a cold, calculative, shrewd man who absorbed information like a sponge. Even little details about people like their habits and interests. By using that information, he could manipulate his way out of any situation. This was the Roy Ed knew.

Something was still bothering Ed. Was it the relationship between Hawkeye and Mustang? He couldn't describe how he felt about it. He definitely wasn't happy. Then what was it?

_What is it?_

* * *

_*Note: Thank you for reading! Please review. If enough people like it and want me to continue, I will. Also, ideas for the next chapter, anyone? Currently I'm floundering in the sea of confusion._


End file.
